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Instruments & Innovation

18 items

This digital collection features selected scientific instruments, apparatus, and analytical tools from the Institute's museum as well as photographs, rare-book engravings, and illustrations depicting various types of equipment and machinery found in laboratories, manufacturing plants, and mechanical treatises. Inventions from book wheels to fireballs can be found here, alongside more modern innovations such as Gammacells and Geiger counters.

Close-up view of laboratory operator Donald Stevens using a press to remove water from a sheet of so-called "chemical cotton," i.e. purified cellulose obtained from raw cotton linters, manufactured in the Cellulose…

General view of a roll rewinder in use in the Cellulose Department at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Per notations accompanying the photograph, the roll rewinder was used to produce smaller…

General view of the production of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Also known as cellulose gum or tylose powder, CMC is a cellulose derivative commonly used as a…

Close-up view of a Fourdrinier machine in use at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Per notations accompanying the photograph, this Fourdrinier machine was used to dewater sheets of so-called…

General view of an automatic banding machine in use in the Cellulose Department at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Hopewell, Virginia. The employees visible in the photograph are identified as Leroy Brown and John…

Two views of employee Paul F. Brown feeding raw cotton linters (short fiber residues left on the cottonseed after the longer staple, aka the "lint" fibers, are removed by ginning) into a bale breaking machine in the…

General view of an unidentified employee examining a control panel used in the production of ethyl cellulose at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Ethyl cellulose manufactured by the Hercules…

General view of a washing tub in use at the Hercules Powder Company's Ethyl Cellulose plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Per notations accompanying the photograph, constant agitation and continual charges of water were used…

General view of weigh-tanks for caustic soda and ethyl cellulose at the Hercules Powder Company's Ethyl Cellulose plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Per notations accompanying the photograph, caustic soda and ethyl cellulose…

Close-up view of several rolls of sheeted cotton linters mounted on spindles at the Hercules Powder Company's Ethyl Cellulose plant in Hopewell, Virginia. Per notations accompanying the photograph, the cotton was…

Close-up view of an extruder in use in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. Extruders were commonly used to process and shape a variety of raw materials produced at the…

Close-up view of the take-off jig used to control extruded shapes on a National Rubber 2-inch extruder in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. The employee visible in the…

Close-up view of an extruder in use in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. An unidentified employee is seen pouring raw material into the hopper; the material is…

Close-up view of operator L.F. Strugala using a two-roll mill in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. Per notations accompanying the photograph, the two-roll mill was used…

Close-up view of the take-off jig used to control extruded shapes on a National Rubber 2-inch extruder in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. The employee visible in the…

Close-up view of J.P. Drew operating a milling cutter used in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. Per notations accompanying the photograph, the cutter was used to cut…

Close-up view of operator L.F. Strugala using a two-roll mill in the Plastics Laboratory at the Hercules Powder Company plant in Parlin, New Jersey. Per notations accompanying the photograph, the two-roll mill was used…

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